Onyema’s passport seized over $44.9m wire deals – TheNigerialawyer

* We’re making progress in our investigation, says EFCC
* Air peace boss insists he’s innocent

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized
the passports of airline magnate Mr. Allen Onyema pending
investigation into his indictment for alleged $44.9 million wire
deals and money laundering in the United States (US).

His movement has also been temporarily restricted until the
outcome of the probe, The Nation learnt on Saturday.

Onyema and his chief finance officer Ejiroghene Eghagha are
facing the probe which followed the EFCC’s receipt of their
indictment by the US Department of Justice (DoJ).

Six US agencies, including the immigration office, sources said,
are handling the case in America.

According to the US government, the suspects are to face trial
for alleged bank fraud, credit application fraud, money laundering,
and aggravated identity theft.

An EFCC special panel is investigating the Nigerian component of
the deals. Onyema, a source said, was grilled on Wednesday.

It was learnt that the fate of the Air Peace boss and Eghagha
hangs on the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between Nigeria
and the US. The treaty borders on the extradition of suspects to
face trial in either country.

The source, who gave an update on the case, said: “Following his
interaction with our detectives, it became imperative to restrict
his movement to the country because we will need him from time to
time.

“We have seized his passports for unfettered comprehensive
investigation. And so far, he has cooperated with our team.

“During our interaction, he maintained his innocence. We have,
however, made progress in our preliminary investigation”.

On the likelihood of extraditing Onyema to the US, the source
added: “This depends on the MLAT between Nigeria and the US. For
now, we are only investigating.

“The extradition process is within the purview of the Office of
the Attorney-General of the Federation. You should not forget that
the EFCC has to investigate, establish prima facie case and
arraigning the suspects in court before any extradition application
can be initiated.

“The US government knows what to do as far as the invocation of
the MLAT is concerned. We are only fulfilling our own part of the
collaboration with the relevant US agencies.”

The US agencies handling the case are the Drug Enforcement
Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security
Investigations, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of
Commerce, and Department of Treasury.

Onyema and Eghagha were indicted on November 19 by the US
Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia in the DoJ.

They were charged with:

“Conspiracy to commit bank fraud;

“Bank fraud;

“Conspiracy to commit credit application fraud;

“Credit application fraud.

Additionally, Onyema was charged with 27 counts of money
laundering; while

Eghagha was accused of one count of aggravated identity
theft.

A document by the US DoJ itemised the allegations against the
suspects and described how the prosecution is being
coordinated.

The document said: “The Drug Enforcement Administration,
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Federal
Aviation Administration, Department of Commerce, and Department of
Treasury are investigating this case.

“Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Deputy Chief of
the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section and Lead Strike Force
Attorney, Irina K. Dutcher, and Christopher J. Huber, Deputy Chief
of the Complex Frauds Section, are prosecuting the case, with
assistance from the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and
Asset Recovery Section and Office of International Affairs.

“This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of
Justice’s Organised Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF)
Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which enables agents from
different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven,
multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority
targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks.

“These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalise on the
synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be
forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together
over time, and they epitomise the model that has proven most
effective in combating organised crime.

” The specific mission of the Atlanta Strike Force is to disrupt
and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking and money
laundering organisations designated as Consolidated Priority
Organisation Targets or Regional Priority Organisation Targets and
their affiliates impacting the Atlanta metropolitan area and the
Northern District of Georgia.”